Conference & Forum

CAREC Think Tanks Development Forum Exploring Knowledge Solutions for Regional Cooperation and Integration

7 Sep 2017 - 8 Sep 2017 Urumqi, Xinjiang Uyghur Automomous Region, The People's Republic of China

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The CAREC Think Tank Development Forum is a venue to discuss key policy issues facing CAREC member countries seeking sustainable solutions. This year’s theme is “Exploring Knowledge Solutions for Regional Cooperation and Integration”. The forum is organized by CAREC Institute and supported by ADB-PRC Regional Knowledge Sharing Initiative.

This year’s forum also marks the official establishment of CAREC Think Tanks Network (CTTN), with formal meetings to establish CTTN’s organizational structure and operating principles. The CTTN is a network of think tanks working in the CAREC region to facilitate sharing of experience and knowledge.

CAREC Institute is an intergovernmental research organization contributing to the CAREC Program through knowledge generation and capacity building. The 5th Ministerial Conference on CAREC, held in 2006, endorsed its establishment. The inaugural ceremony of the CAREC Institute took place on 7 September 2017.

Agenda:

7 September 2017 (Thursday)

Time	Program
1430 – 1500	Registration
Session I: Opening of 2nd CAREC Think Tanks Development Forum
1500 – 1510	Welcome Remarks by Mr. Bayaraa Sanjaasuren, Director CAREC Institute
1510 – 1520	Opening Remarks by Mr. Sean O’ Sullivan, Director General, Central and West Asia Department, ADB
1520 – 1540	Group Photo
Session II: State of Economic Cooperation and Integration in the CAREC Region
1540 – 1710	CAREC Regional Integration Index: Measuring Extent of Regional Cooperation Moderator: Ms. Niny Khor, Coordinator, ADB-PRC Regional Knowledge Sharing Initiative Speaker: Dr. Saeed Qadir, CAREC Institute Discussant I: Dr. Hyeon-seung Huh, Associate Dean, School of Economics, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea Discussant II: Dr. Fahad Hassan Khan, Economist, Economic Research and Regional Cooperation Department, ADB Q&A Session
1710 – 1730	Coffee Break
1730 – 1900	Measuring Participations in Global Value Chain: PRC Case Study Moderator: Mr. Nobuya Haraguchi, Industrial Research Officer, UNIDO, Austria Speaker: Mr. Mahinthan Mariashingham, Economic Research and Regional Cooperation Department, ADB Discussant I: Dr. Fahad Hassan Khan, Economist, Economic Research and Regional Cooperation Department, ADB Discussant II: Dr. Quanrun Chen, University of International Business and Economics (UIBE), Beijing Q&A Session
1930 – 2030	Dinner

8 September 2017 (Friday)

Time	Program
0900 – 0930	Registration
Session III: Exploring Avenues for Cooperation in Infrastructure and Trade in the Region
0930 – 1050	Sustainable Infrastructure Development and Financing Options in CAREC Region Speaker: Mr. Naoyuki Yoshino, Dean ADB Institute (video presentation) Discussant I: Mr. Qiangwu Zhou, Director General, International Economics and Finance Institute, the PRC Discussant II: Mr. Shinichi Nakabayashi, Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), Japan Q&A Session
1050 – 1140	Xinjiang Autonomous Region: At the Crossroads of Regional Economic Cooperation Moderator: Mr. Qiangwu Zhou, Director General, International Economics and Finance Institute, the PRC Heads of respective departments from Xinjiang will make speeches/presentations (ten minutes each) Development and Reform Commission: Building Silk Road Economic Belt and Sharing the fruits of Development Customs: The Belt and Road Initiative: Seizing the opportunity for building core of the Silk Road Economic Belt The People’s Bank of China: Reflections on Promoting Monetary Cooperation with Central Asian Countries Transport Department: Promoting regional cooperation in Central Asia through building transport infrastructure Department of Commerce: Promoting regional economic development and achieving regional prosperity in Central Asia through trade
1140 – 1200	Coffee Break
1200 – 1330	Harmonizing Trade Policy in CAREC Region Moderator: Mr. Safdar Parvez, Director, Central and West Asia Department, ADB Speaker: Dr. Kaushalendara Arha, Former Diplomat, Speaking on behalf of S. Frederick Starr, Chairman of the Central Asia -Caucasus Institute and Silk Road Studies Program – American Foreign Policy Council. Discussant I: Dr. Safdar A. Sohail, Director General, National Institute of Management, Islamabad Pakistan Islamabad Discussant II: Dr. Eric Livny, President, ISET Policy Institute, Tbilisi Georgia Q&A Session
1330 – 1430	Lunch
Session IV: Think Tanks – Institutional Development and Way Forward
1430 – 1500	Establishing CAREC Think Tanks Network (CTTN) Moderator: Syed Shakeel Shah, Joint Secretary, Prime Minister’s Office, Pakistan
1500– 1620	Global Best Practices in Think Tanks: Institutional Management and Financial Sustainability Moderator: Mr. Hui Weng Tat, Dean Graduate School of Public Policy, Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan Speaker: Mr. J. Berkshire Miller, Founding Director, Council on International Policy, and Senior Visiting Fellow at the Japan Institute of International Affairs Tokyo, Japan Discussant I: Mr. REN Haiping, Deputy Head of Strategic Research, China Center for International Economic Exchanges (CCIEE) Discussant II: Mr. Kashif Noon, CAREC Institute Q&A Session
1620 – 1700	Coffee Break
1700 – 1820	Think Tanks Development: Key Challenges and Opportunities Moderator: Dr. Shamil Aleskerov, Former Secretary General, Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Speaker: Dr. Eric Livny, President, ISET Policy Institute, Tbilisi Georgia Discussant I: Dr. Abid Qaiyum Sulehrie, Executive Director, SDPI Pakistan Discussant II: Mr. Altaaf Hasham, AKDN, Kyrgyz Republic Q&A Session
1820 – 1850	Urumqi Declaration of 2nd CAREC Think Tanks Development Forum Moderator: Dr. Shamil Aleskerov, Former Secretary General, Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO)
1850 – 1900	Closing Remarks by Mr. Bayaraa Sanjaasuren Director CAREC Institute
1930 – 2030	Dinner and Wrap-Up